Vending-machine for sanitary drinking-cups.



H. HILL.

VENDING MACHINE FOR SANITARY DRINKING CUPS. APPLlCATloN FILED APR.27.1915.

Lfw., Paten Feb. 15,1916.

mvewlioz HARRIET HILL, or NEW YORK, N. Y. y

VENDING-MACHINE FOR SANITARY DRINKING-CUPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. i5, il 916.

Application filed April 27, 1915. lSerial No. 24,294.

Afollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to devices espe cially adapted to be used for dispensing ,paper drinking cups and it consists 1n the novel features hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of the present invention -1s to provide a dispenser of the character indicated which is of simple and durable structure and which efficiently supports a stack of nested paper cups in such manner that the lowermost cup of the stack may be easily and quickly removed from the dispenser and at the same time all of the cups above the lowermost cup of the stack are retained in proper position within the dispenser.

Heretofore it has been the practice to support a Stack of cups within the dispenser by providing means for engaging the edge portion of two or more cups of the stack. rThis is objectionable for the reason that when but few cups are left in the stack the frictional engagement between the dispenser and the edges of the cups is so great as to prevent the cup from descending into proper position in the dispenser in view of the fact that the stack of cups does not possess sufficient weight to cause the lowermost cup to descend at a proper point in the dispenser. To overcome this objection I have provided a dispenser having means for engaging the edge portion of the lowermost cup only in the stack to sustain the stack in position in the dispenser.

Vith these and other objects in viewY the dispenser comprises an annular collar mounted upon a bracket adapted to be attached to a suitable support the collar being provided with a series of inwardly disposed langes. A ring, of wire or other suitable material. is passed through the said anges and spaced from the inner surface of the ring. Rollers are journaled for free rotation upon the said ring between the lugs and are adapted to engage the edge portion of the lowermost cup of the stack of cups and thereby retain the stack of cups in the dispenser. The

.lower portion thereof.

upper portion of the stack of cups is protected by a glass case which is supported in any sultable manner upon the said ring.

.In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 1s a side elevation of the cup dispenser. Fig. 2 1s a transverse sectional view of the Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of a portion of the collar of the dlspenser. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one of the rollers journaled in the dispenser.

The dispenser comprises an annular collar 1 which is attached to a bracket 2 adapted to be applied to any suitable support. The collar 1 is provided with a series of inwardly disposed lugs 3 which support an annular ring 4 of wire or other suitable material. The ring 4 is held in spaced relation from the inner surface of the collar 1 and rollers 5 are freely journaled upon the ring Il between the lugs 3. The inner portions of the peripheries of the rollers 5 project beyond the inner ends of the lugs 3 as most clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing and the adjacent side surfaces of the rollers 5 are in close proximity to each other and may contact with each other at their inner portions.

The cups G are arranged in a stack one nested within the other and'when the stack is placed in position in the collar 1 the edge portion of the lowermost cup has Contact with the inner portion of the peripheries of the rollers 5 and consequently the stack is held in position in the collar. A ease 7 of glass or other suitable transparent material is supported upon the collar 1 in any suitable manner and houses the upper part of the stack composed of the cups G.

From the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the drawing` it will be observed that when the stack of cups is in position in the collar 1 the said stack is supported by frictional Contact between the upper edgeiportion of the lowermost cup of the stack and the inner portion of the peripheries of the rollers This leaves the lower part of the lowermost cup projecting beyond the lower edge of the collar 5 and when it is desired to remove the lowermost cup it is grasped in the hand and pulled in av downward direction whereby the upper portion of the said lowermost cup is engaged from the rollers and is removed from the dispenser.e At the same time the uppermost cup of the stack descends in response to gravity and the upper edge portion of the loWermost cup then remaining in the stack engages the inner portion of the peripheries of the rollers 5 and the remaining cups are supported. Therefore it will be -seen that all of the cups in the stack even down to the last remaining cup are sup- Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:-

1. A cup dispenser comprising a collar, a series of rollers journaled in the collar and 2o engageable with the lowermost cup of a stack to support the stack.

2. A cup dispenser comprising a collar having inwardly disposed lugs, a ring supported in the lugs and a series of rollers 25 journaled upon the ring.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of a witness.

HARRIET HILL.

Vitness M. E. LAUGHLIN. 

